Medi-Cal Monthly Eligibles Trend Report

In this report, the California Department of Health Care Services' (DHCS) Research and Analytic Studies Division (RASD) compiles and presents an estimate of the trend in Medi-Cal eligibles over the most recent 24 months. This report is designed to provide stakeholders with timely explanations of material changes in enrollment trends.

Medi-Cal Monthly Eligibles Trend Reports

For the month of January 2014, RASD estimates the number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles to be 9,390,600. Since January 2013, Medi-Cal has added about 1.5 million eligibles, primarily resulting from the absorption of children from the former Healthy Families Program, who transitioned into the Medi-Cal Targeted Low Income Children’s Program (TLICP) throughout 2013, and participants from the Low-Income Health Program (LIHP), who qualified for Medi-Cal on January 1st under the Affordable Care Act’s expanded Medicaid eligibility criteria.

For the month of November 2013, RASD estimates the number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles to be 8,676,700. The November 2013 estimate represents a 13.7% increase over November 2012. This growth in enrollment is primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal’s Targeted Low Income Children’s Program (TLICP), with the greatest influx occurring in January and April 2013.

For the month of October 2013, RASD estimates the number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles to be 8,621,100. The October 2013 estimate represents a 12.7% increase over October 2012. This growth in enrollment is primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal’s Targeted Low Income Children’s Program (TLICP), with the greatest influx occurring in January and April 2013.

For the month of September 2013, RASD estimates the number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles to be 8,641,600. The September 2013 estimate represents a 12.9% increase over September 2012. This growth in enrollment is primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal’s Targeted Low Income Children’s Program (TLICP), with the greatest influx occurring in January and April 2013.

For the month of August 2013, RASD estimates the number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles to be 8,589,300. The August 2013 estimate represents a 12.0% increase over August 2012. This growth in enrollment is primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal’s Targeted Low Income Children’s Program (TLICP), with the greatest influx occurring in January and April 2013.

For the month of July 2013, RASD estimates the number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles to be 8,506,700. The July 2013 estimate represents an 11.5% increase over July 2012. This growth in enrollment is primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal’s Targeted Low Income Children’s Program (TLICP), with the greatest influx occurring in January and April 2013. By the end of 2013, it is estimated that close to half the children under 18 in California will receive their health care coverage through Medi-Cal. This brief also describes increased participation in Medi-Cal’s managed care delivery system from March 2007 through March 2013. As of March 2013, 65.1% of Medi-Cal certified eligibles participated in managed care, an increase of 15.6 percentage points from 2007. This change is attributed to the transition of additional counties and seniors and persons with disabilities from fee-for-service (FFS) to managed care delivery systems.

For the month of June 2013, the estimated number of Medi-Cal certified eligibles was 8,507,300, representing an 11.8% increase over the December 2012 estimated total of 7,606,700. This growth in enrollment is primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California's Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal's Targeted Low Income Children's Program (TLICP), as well as the enrollment of new children into TLICP during January and February.

In the first five months of 2013, enrollment in the Medi-Cal program rose by 11.6%, an increase primarily associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal. In March 2013, the estimated number of certified eligibles enrolled in Medi-Cal surpassed 8 million, and by May 2013 the number of certified eligibles enrolled in Medi-Cal reached an estimated 8,483,900.

In the first four months of 2013, enrollment in the Medi-Cal program rose by 10%, an increase largely associated with the transition of children previously enrolled in California’s Healthy Families Program (HFP) into Medi-Cal. In March 2013, the number of certified eligibles enrolled in Medi-Cal exceeded 8 million, and by April 2013 the number of certified eligibles enrolled in Medi-Cal reached an estimated 8,371,400.

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